Index
Thursday, February 5, 2009
11
Students test out transient ice rink BY EMMA MUELLER Staff Reporter
Kirksville had an ice rink — for three days at least. The Student Activities Board, SUB After Dark and the Center for Student Involvement brought a synthetic ice rink to the Student Union Building Jan. 29 to 31. The free event made many in the Truman community wonder how there could be an ice rink in the SUB. SAB used Perfect Parties USA to bring the ice rink to campus. Reginald Obas, one of two installers who were responsible for setting up the rink, has been installing synthetic rinks for six years. “Well, basically it’s a big plastic board,” Obas said. “Installation takes two hours. It’s like a puzzle.” Even though the rink was small, it was larger than the ones Obas usually installs. “The average one is 25 panels,” Obas said. “[This one] is 35.” Junior Frankie Bruning, SAB special events committee member and the student in charge of the event, said she was thrilled about bringing in a synthetic ice rink. “It’s a plastic polymer, and the way [the rental company] described it is, it’s like a cutting board, sort of like those jelly cutting boards,” Bruning said. “The friction from the
skates will create the layer that’s like had already started working on it at liquid on top, and they spray it with that time” Williams said. “So they’ve an environmentally friendly solution been working on it for a while. It to keep the lubrication.” takes quite a while to get a contract The whole experience differed going, especially for an event this from skating on actual ice. The rink size.” was smaller than a normal ice rink, Students had high expectations and there was no need to bundle up for the event, which was projected to in hats and gloves. draw a large crowd. “You could come During the threein shorts if you really day period, 533 wanted,” Bruning “Well, basically it’s skaters and about said. 500 more onlookers To create a magi- a big plastic board. popped in to see what Installation takes cal atmosphere at the ice was like and the rink, pictures two hours. It’s like what the event had to of campus winter offer, Bruning said. a puzzle.” scenes were dis“A lot of people played. Music played are really excited,” Reginald Obas from speakers and Bruning said. “There Perfect Parties USA Installers snacks like cookies, have been a couple Rice Krispies treats, of people that have s’mores and hot been disappointed, chocolate were served. but that’s to be expected.” Even though the experience might Senior Michelle Coolidge said not have compared to actual ice skat- she was disappointed with the expeing, it was different from usual cam- rience. pus events. “It was really hard to skate on, ac“You can tell when they’re on the tually,” Coolidge said. “I felt like I ice, everyone’s having a good time, was going to fall down.” which is great,” Bruning said. Coolidge said she wouldn’t parThis event was in the works for ticipate in the event again. more than three months, and CSI “I felt like the surface was differprogram adviser Rachelle Williams ent,” Coolidge said. “But it was also was there almost every step of the a little bit small. I think if they made way. it a little bit bigger it would definitely “I started in November, and they be better.”
Amy Gleaves/Index The Student Activities Board, SUB After Dark and the Center for Student Involvement brought a synthetic ice skating rink to the SUB.
Smocovitis wishes Darwin happy birthday BY LINDSEY WILLIAMS Staff Reporter
This year is a time of celebration for those in the field of science, as it marks the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth and the 150th anniversary of the release of his scientific work, “On the Origin of Species.” Truman hosted guest speaker Betty Smocovitis Tuesday, Jan.. 27 to kick off the Year of Darwin celebration. Her lecture was titled “Singing His Praises: Darwin and His Theory in Song and Musical Production,” and featured music and slides. The lecture was designed to reflect on Darwin’s life and his theory of evolution while also displaying his immersion in popular culture. Throughout the lecture, Smocovitis showed slides of pieces of music written over the years that explained Darwin’s theories through them. “I saw the first piece of sheet
music that I showed way back in been holding on to that material for 1985, and I was very curious about a long time. I see it as a capstone, it,” she said. “And I was curious as a privilege. It’s an honor.” Smocovitis also gave lectures to that no one was doing very much three classes during with music like her two-day visit to that in particular. I Truman. waited 20 years for “I went in prepared something to happen, “One of the to listen to and I wanted to do things I really enjoy something special is to meet and work another lecture this year. I wanted with really bright [about] Darwin’s to do something that and interdisciplinwould be appropriate theories but it was ary undergrads,” she for the lecture and said. “I was really more about what anniversary.” impressed with the occurred because This perspective student body at Truof him.” on Darwin’s history man. I don’t think was brought by I’ve met so many Tammy Guilford Truman’s Phi Beta interested students, junior Kappa chapter. and I enjoyed talkSmocovitis said ing with them.” that was just the Darwin audience beginning of the celebration of the member junior Tammy Guilford anniversary. said the lecture was different from “I am [a] historian of science, what she expected. and my specialty is the history of “I went in prepared to listen to evolution,” Smocovitis said. “I’ve another lecture [about] Darwin’s
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theories but it was more about what occurred because of him,” she said. “There were songs written because of him, and his face was put on money, and in England his face was on a pound.” Guilford said the presentation was made more interesting by the different view on the subject. “Something that stood out was you could tell how passionate [Smocovitis] was about Darwinism,” she said. Tom Capuano, professor of classical and modern languages organized the lecture and said this was his first experience watching a speaker on Darwin. “I was just disappointed to see how little critical thinking there is that floats to the top in popular culture,” Capuano said. “When you point to songs, for example, that have addressed Darwin’s theory, they all seem to be very shallow — very frivolous ... That was really the whole point, in my opin-
ion. That popular culture, in many ways, was running away from the theory and the only way they could figure out how to run away from it was to make light of it.” Capuano said he was surprised and excited by the amount turnout of the event. “We asked them to set up 300 chairs, and I was a little anxious because you never know how many will show up,” Capuano said. “But when people started coming in 20 minutes early, then we saw that we were going to have a good group, so I was very encouraged.” Capuano said this event would not have been possible without the Phi Beta Kappa fraternity and the swell of interest coming from different professors in the science department, as well as the interest of students across campus. “I’m just really glad that there was so much interest in this Phi Beta Kappa speaker because we would love to do it again,” Capuano said.
and food products in addition to beer and liquor, but Westport operates primarily as a liquor store. “It would affect my business greatly,” said Jared Mullen, owner of Westport Package Store. “It would hurt us if they shut us down for the four days. It would hurt the employees not having any work for a few days.”Westport employees are trained to ask for identification when selling liquor, Mullen said, but mistakes still happen.“If my employees make a mistake, they make a mistake,” Mullen said. “In that case, we had an elderly gentleman who had years of experience. ... The guy checked the ID — he put on his glasses and looked at it. He did what he was supposed to do, ... he just misread that particular ID.”Mullen said that since the incident, the guilty employee has left Westport.“In the six years since I’ve been here we’ve only had it happen a few times when the liquor association sets up these stings,” Mullen said. “We understand the complexity of selling to minors. We don’t want to sell to minors. That’s not what we’re here for.”Although a suspended liquor license might damage a vendor’s business, some conIm 21, there are other places I can buy, Both Ayerco 30 Convenience Store and Pick-A-Dilly Convenience Store St declined to comment. sumers are not concernedd by a potential closure. closure.“I’m buy,” said senior Amy Jones. “IfIf I was a minor trying to buy all the time, it might matter, though. though.”Both tion to beer and liquor, but Westport operates primarily as a liquor store.“It would affect my business greatly,” said Jared Mullen, owner of Westport Package Store. “It would hurt us if they shut us down for the four days. It wwould hurt hu the employees not and food products in addition ays. Westport employees are trained to ask for identification when selling liquor, Mullen said, but mistakes still happen.“If my employees make a mistake, they make a mistake,” Mullen said. “In that case, we had an elderly gentleman who had years of exhaving any work for a feww days. ked the ID — he put on his glasses and looked at it. He did what he was supposed to do, ... he just misread that particular ID.”Mullen ID.”Mullen said that since the incident, the guilty employee has left Westport. “In the six years since s I’ve been hhere we’ve only had it perience. ... The guy checked happen a few times whenn the liquor association sets up these stings,” Mullen said. “We understand the complexity of selling to minors. We don’t want to sell to minors. That’s not what we’re here for.”Although a suspended liquor license might damage a vendor vendor’s business, some conPick-A-Dilly Convenience Store declined to comment. sumers are not concernedd by a potential closure.“I’m 21, there are other places I can buy,” said senior Amy Jones. “If I was a minor trying to buy all the time, it might matter, though.”Both Ayerco 30 Convenience Store and Pick-A-Dill a mistake,” Mullen said.. “Inn that case, we had an elderly gentleman who had years an who had of experience. ... an who hadThe guy checked the ID an who hadan who hadhe put on his glasses and looked at it. He did what he wwas supposed to do, articular ID.”Mullen said that since the incident, the guilty employee has left Westport. “In the six years since I’ve been an who hadhere we’ve only had it happen a few times when the liquor association ass sets up these stings,” Mul... he just misread thatat particular nd the complexity of selling to minors. We don’t want to sell to minors. That’s not what we’re here for.”Although a suspended liquor license might damage a vendor’s business, some consumers are not con len said. “We understand concerned by a poten tion to beer and liquor, but Westport operates primarily as a liquor store. “It would affect my business greatly,” said Jared Mullen, owner of Westport Package Store. “It would hurt us if they shut us down for the four days. IIt would hurt hu the employees not and food products in addition ays.”Westport employees are trained to ask for identification when selling liquor, Mullen said, but mistakes still happen.“If my employees make a mistake, they make a mistake,” Mullen said. “In that case, we had an elderly gentlem having any work for a feww days.”Westport gentleman who had years of eckedd the ID — he put on his glasses and looked at it. He did what he was supposed to do, ... he just misread that particular ID.”Mullen said that since the incident, the guilty employee has left Westport.“In the six years since I’ve been be hhere we’ve only had it experience. ... The guy checked happen a few times whenn the liquor association sets up these stings,” Mullen said. “We understand the complexity of selling to minors. We don’t want to sell to minors. That’s not what we’re here for.”Although a suspended liquor license might damage a vendor vendor’s business, some consumers are not concerned by a potential closure.“I’m 21, there are other places I can buy,” said senior Amy Jones. “If I was a minor trying to buy all the time, it might matter, though.”Both Ayerco 30 Convenience Store and Pick-A-Dilly Convenience Store declined to comment. and food products in addition to beer and liquor, but Westport operates primarily as a liquor store.“It would affect my business greatly,” said Jared Mullen, owner of Westport Package Store. “It would hurt us if they shut us down for the four days. It would hurt the employees not having any work for a few days. Westport employees are trained to ask for identification when selling liquor, Mullen said, but mistakes still happen.“If my employees make a mistake, they make a mistake,” Mullen said. “In that case, we had an elderly gentleman who had years of experience. ... The guy checked the ID — he put on his glasses and looked at it. He did what he was supposed to do, ... he just misread that particular ID.”Mullen said that since the incident, the guilty employee has left Westport. “In the six years since I’ve been here we’ve only had it h
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Index
Thursday, March 26, 2009
13
Gynecological art travels to Truman BY KRISHA SHRESTHA Staff Reporter
March is the month to celebrate girl power, women’s empowerment, feminine mystique and feminism. In 1987, March was officially declared women’s history month as an expansion of Women’s History Week, which started in 1978 in Sonoma County, Calif. This also coincides with International Women’s Day on March 8. Senior Angela Carter, president of the Women’s Resource Center, said women often are left out of history. “Most of the history books and most of the ways our culture and mini-cultures understand history [is through the] perspective of men,” Carter said. “And in doing that you miss out on a lot of great, important accomplishments that women contribute to history and to society. So this month is just a time where the nation and society can reflect on what women have accomplished in their place and the significance in our culture.” She said Truman has more female students than male, so it is important to build awareness of women’s history on campus. The WRC filled March with various events celebrating women. One event was the Pap Art Exhibition sponsored by the Art Department. Curator Nancy Mizuno Elliot earned the Truman Curatorial Fellowship to bring art to Truman. Aaron Fine, associate professor of art, said the fellowship is a two-year program that teaches students and faculty more about curatorial activities. “While most of the curators were really qualified, most of them talked about what they would choose, but not why they would choose it,” Fine said. “But she had a clear vision of what curating is to her and essentially a means of community building.” Elliot also had great authenticity, so she came out stronger than the other choices, Fine said. This was a great opportunity to learn about an art form outside the sphere of Truman, he said. “I think it creates a different aesthetic than what we get in our art classes, and that was what we were trying to get out of it,” Fine said. “Compared to average art exhibitions that we have in this area, or in Truman, it is more frank, sassy and informal. The show is very important, for it is about real issues like
health issues and is very universal.” Fine said his personal favorite is from artist Lisa Alembik. Alembik is drawing while she is pregnant, so the audience is exposed to the issues of women’s reproductive health, Fine said. Elliot said she named the exhibit Pap Art as a reference to the Pap test performed in gynecological examinations. Elliot said the inspiration came from her personal experience while visiting her gynecologist. “My first exam [my doctor] asked me ‘Do you want to see your cervix? It is a smiley face,’” Elliot said. “It had been very memorable, although not dramatic. [It] made me really comfortable with my body.” Elliot said she was familiar with Kirksville because she visited the University 10 years ago, so when she heard about the opportunity she became interested in developing a relationship with Truman. She felt comfortable bringing controversial art to the University because she knew she could relate to the students, Elliot said. “Most of it is very humorous and is supposed to make this topic [of the] vagina very accessible, disarming and take away all the cult of culture baggage that we have about talking about it,” Elliot said. “So we are using humor so as to make it very commonplace, especially around young people, because these are important issues.” Elliot said she tried to make the art straightforward but she was skeptical about censorship. “Even though people say that [Northeast Missouri] is a more conservative area … I remember being [at Truman] watching the students’ version of ‘The Vagina Monologues,’” Elliot said. “Eventually they started incorporating their own stories, and I thought that was brave. That was eye-opening to me.” It was a coincidence that the opening of her exhibition was during women’s history month, but she said she agreed to work with the WRC when she heard about its plans to celebrate the month. “We are thrilled [to be with the WRC],” Elliot said. “They are helping us publicize it and that is good. It helps to continue the longer discussion so I think that is cool.” The exhibition continues until April 16 at Ophelia Parrish.
Mayank Dhungana/Index
Drive-in I
WatchmenI Although producers tried to keep to the original
The closest drive-in is in Moberly, but Truman students can enjoy the SAB drive-in on May 2
graphic novel, the movie seemed to alienate those who hadn’t read it noticeably short of the depth Continued from page 9 and breadth that Moore’s subtle, Owl is retired, getting fat and enlightening, one-of-a-kind text “hiding in plain sight,” as Rorpossesses. Snyder’s movie has shach phrases it. Russia and the to explain things overtly that U.S. are on the brink of nuclear Moore left for the reader to war, and the Doomsday Clock infer. Despite this, it still leaves only is seconds away from things unexplained, like how midnight. Rorshach’s face changes and The opening credit sequence is deeply moving, mostly because that the vigilantes do not have any super powers (Rorshach Snyder allowed Bob Dylan to set seemed to have super agility and the tone for the whole film while Nite Owl seemed to have super telling the story of the Minutestrength) — only men in a brief, Dr. Manhattan minimalist style. does. Snyder had Dylan is all over alter dialogue, “Watchmen,” to “There ain’t nothin’ to and henceforth profound effect. like the real thing, character, in Snyder did the order to account Comedian justice, baby.” for the condensaputting him in the tion. He changed movie at almost the ending in every instance he order to update the film for an occurs in the novel because of his audience that lives in a world 24 centrality to the plot and the imyears past the one inhabited by portance of his character when it the original audience, for better comes to understanding the text’s and for worse. Dr. Manhattan’s ultimate message about human time on Mars, both going there nature. Snyder also succeeded at (soundtrack is amazing) while making the movie as gory as the telling his past and touring the novel (possibly gorier). I must admit, it is sweet to see planet with Silk Spectre II in the watch castle, is so weak comthese characters in motion and pared to the novel that Snyder to hear them speaking. It is even should’ve omitted it, which sweeter for the songs referenced at the end of some chapters in the he basically did, gutting the dialogue and eliminating most of novel to appear in real-time, as the journey across the Martian background music or as rocking landscape. full frontal soundtrack. There ain’t nothin’ like the real However, the film falls
thing, baby. Snyder’s film is true to the graphic novel in the aesthetic sense only — many stills and camera angles (eyeball angles?) from the book appear on screen, the characters look as they do in the book and the music is used to great effect. As far as everything else goes, even at almost three hours long (and, like “The Dark Knight,” it doesn’t feel like three hours if you are swept up by the ride), so much is changed and missing that the film only can be enjoyed by fans of the graphic novel who have read it and know it, so they can subconsciously fill in the gaps, while their friends who saw the preview last summer and thought, “Whoa,” have to lean over and whisper inquiries throughout the film until they give up trying to put everything together. If you haven’t read “Watchmen,” the movie leaves you with unanswered questions, characters that seem over-acted (they are comic book characters — they kind of have to be), little resolution and a plot that moves too fast to grasp, despite the grand visual and audio elements of the film. If you are interested in “Watchmen,” read the graphic novel, then see the movie. Who watches the “Watchmen?” Only fans prior to its cinematic release. To the rest, it’s all a joke, and not a good one.
Severs and host/hostess wanted for new casual fine dining restaurant in Queen City
Continued from page 9 comedian and film committee and well-kept and clean in content. said they it has been doing the drive“I remember when ‘Finding Nemo’ in movies longer than anyone can recame out we had that as a big family member but a couple of years ago they night presentation,” Iris said. “We showed the movie inside. gave away helium balloons. We had “It’s just easier to control your contests about fish. Out on the patio environment when you’re inside,” we had hula hoop competitions. We Razavi said. “It’s easier to sit. You just had fun things for have bleachers, you the children.” have air conditionThe Macon Drive-in ing, no insects [and “Did it make us could fit 350 cars with it’s not] too hot.” individual speakers, but The SAB goes millions? No. We it also had a radio stathrough a Web site had a lot of fun tion that patrons could called Swank, a comdoing it, got a lot tune in to that allowed pany based out of St. for a bigger turnout. of satisfaction out Louis that provides She said that before rights to newof it and if it hadn’t itly the they shut down, their released movies. blown down we’d business held its own, Razavi said the SAB but like other drive-ins still be over there.” usually aims for a in the Midwest they comedy and drama had a number of things when making its seIris Arnold going against them lections. The next Former Macon drive-in owner including the limited drive-in movie day is season. Iris said most May 2. drive-ins are only open “Right now from May to September. we’re going to show ‘Role Models’ “We just did it because we liked it and ‘Gran Torino,’ but ‘Role Models’ and it was a family-oriented thing,” she could be changed to ‘Slumdog Milsaid. “Did it make us millions? No. We lionaire’ — we’re looking at prices had a lot of fun doing it, got a lot of sat- right now,” Razavi said. isfaction out of it and if it hadn’t blown New releases are $800 and others down we’d still be over there.” are $400, Razavi said. New releases With the Macon Drive-in closed are movies that have not gone to DVD and the Moberly Five and Drive an yet. hour away, the Student Activities In previous semesters the attenBoard tries to provide its own drive- dance has been about 500 people, in experience to Truman students. which Ravazi said they hope to attain Senior Aaron Razavi is on the SAB again this semester.
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Index
10
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Design by Antionette Bedessie/Index
“Photography, to me, is really a creative expression. Some people write. Some people paint. But my form of expression is photography.” Bo Burasco
Zoe Martin
Junior
A personality might be nothing more than a collage
Amy Gleaves/Index
Amateur photographer Bo Burasco enjoys shooting landscapes scenes, especially in the spring and fall.
Recreational photography Not an art major? Not a problem, amateurs and professionals share their photography advice BY EMMA MUELLER Staff Reporter
One, two, three — say “Cheese!” Photography is an art form that almost anyone can successfully attempt. The switch from 35-mm film cameras to digital point-and-shoot cameras has made photography accessible and allowed even the most inexperienced to dabble in it. Today, almost anyone can be considered an amateur photographer. However, some take the hobby more seriously and use photography to creatively express their personalities. Andrew Maxwell, a junior and a self-employed amateur photographer, uses his hobby to support itself. He said his main focus is portrait photography. “I like shooting in junkyards,” Maxwell said. “Grungy, urban settings are my favorites. Both of those places are typically where I take senior portraits and band photos.” Maxwell said he thinks that it’s all in the photographer to take a high quality photograph, not the camera. He said he feels that if the creative juices are flowing and the imagination is there, a $10,000 camera won’t produce a picture that captures emotions more than a disposable camera will. “It’s not about the camera, it’s about the photographer,” Maxwell said. “It’s all about imagination and showing people the way you see things. Don’t think that just because you have a crappy
camera you can’t take good photos. And don’t think that just because you have a nice camera means you can take good photos.” Truman photographer Tim Barcus sees things a little differently. He stresses the importance of learning the ins and outs of both the camera and the camera manual. “Read the manual because the manual has a ton of information,” Barcus said. “Set your camera on manual. Learn to use manual settings. Turning the dial to the smiley face doesn’t guarantee you are going to get a good portrait. When you have all those modes, it takes the experimentation away.” Barcus has been taking pictures professionally for almost 20 years. He said that although photography is much more of a job than a hobby nowadays, he still enjoys the recreational aspect of photography. “I like the lake and walking on the trail,” Barcus said. “I like seeing the natural world in different seasons. One thing I would love to do, but haven’t, is to go photograph the eagles over by the river.” Barcus said photos.truman.edu includes a section where Truman students can upload and display their own shots of campus scenery. “Right now, there are only three photographers that have submitted stuff, but I want more,” Barcus said. “There are a lot of good photographers out there. A lot of people have a great eye, but there are very few people that have actually
learned the techniques and the technology and the technical aspects that make it repeatable.” Photography, in addition to its use as a form of expression, is used to capture memories and record events. Barcus said he has one piece of advice for anyone wishing to improve their skills. “Always take one more,” Barcus said. “When you think you got it, take one more.” Bo Burasco, a junior and an amateur photographer, said he has been around cameras most of his life but has begun to take pictures seriously within the last two years. “Landscapes are my favorite things to take pictures of, or just really anything that interests me in the world,” Burasco said. “I’m starting to do more portraits and people.” Burasco said he has both his favorite spots and seasons to take snapshots of. He has special places in his hometown that he frequents, but in Kirksville he likes to take pictures of what interests him and what he finds striking, he said. “I’m a big fan of spring and fall,” Burasco said. “They’ve got a lot of good clouds and a lot of good potential for landscapes. Really, I like to shoot in any season if it offers me anything.” Burasco said that for him the joy of photography is to allow his creativity to flourish and to express his viewpoint. “Photography, to me, is really a creative expression,” Burasco said. “Some people write. Some people paint. But my form of expression is photography. That’s why I do it.”
New Class for Fall 2009
ED 483 Grantwriting Across The Disciplines Days: Tuesday and Thursday Time: 11:00 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. Location: Violette Hall, room 1320 Instructor: Sam Minner The objectives of this class are to introduce students to the fundamentals of locating sources of funding for external grants, preparing high-quality grant proposals, and effectively managing grants post-award. The course is open to students from all disciplines. It is offered for variable credit. Students registering for one semester-hour of credit will acquire information and skills related to locating sources of funding and preparing a basic grant proposal. Students enrolled for two semesters of credit will acquire the basic knowledge and skills previously noted and serve as co-authors as we collaboratively prepare one or more grant proposals. I will work with students enrolled for three semester-hours to identify a grant opportunity and prepare a proposal to the relevant funding agency. There will be no required textbook for this class. Enrollment is limited to 15 students. If you have questions, please call Dr. Minner at 4384 or email at minner@truman.edu
Forget drugs and terrorism. America has a greater war to wage: cannibalism. No, no, not freezer-full-of-human-limbs cannibalism. This is a much finer form of identity consumption, and it’s raging through our great nation’s schools. Classrooms full of pre-pubescent children tend to be all about collective identity — and what better way to make sure you’re not singled out as the weird kid in fifth grade than by chowing down on little bits of your classmates? Her clothing style, his musical taste. The coolest kid in class loves Hanson? So do you! Oh, ‘MMMBop.’ For a time, this personality feast results in a generation of look-alike 10 year olds, stuffed full of their peers’ characteristics. Eventually the hunger for homogeneity subsides and the seed of Self is planted. Still, even without the indiscriminate identity theft of younger years, so much of individuality for college students and beyond is shaped by parents, peers and trends. What part of the self is outside this influence? And is self determined solely by the surface traits we display on Facebook profiles? I can’t speak for everyone, but there’s a little more to me than my appreciation for Wes Anderson films, ‘Gossip Girl’ and Kurt Vonnegut quotes. In its song, “Taste,” the band Animal Collective questions, “Am I really all the things that are outside of me? / Would I complete myself without the things I like around?” The ageless question, “Who am I?” — which ranks right up there with the meaning of life conundrum and the college student’s eternal query, “Why didn’t I start writing this yesterday?” — encompasses so many inexplicable layers of personality and character, “the subtleties of taste buds” as the song poetically puts it. To rephrase (and probably complicate the already convoluted question), how much of Me is the company I keep, the posters on my apartment walls, the song playing while I write this or even my first name (which, fun fact, is not in the byline)? Conversely, how much of Self is composed of intangibles — memories, aspirations, values and emotional tendencies? So, even when we stop filling ourselves with the personalities of others, there can be no real delineation between what is ‘Me’ and what is ‘Me, but only after she introduced me to it’ or ‘Me, but only because others perceive me this way.’ I have no sugar-coated “be yourself” message to offer because this piece isn’t about how awesome it is to be unique. Instead, I encourage spending some time figuring out what being yourself even constitutes. Explore yourself. Chuck Klosterman, a pop culture journalist and author (also known as that guy with the job every writer and music lover always dreamed of), presents a hypothetical question in his collection “Chuck Klosterman IV: A Decade of Curious People and Dangerous Ideas” that examines this internal quest for self-in-taste. It goes a little something like: Imagine everything about your musical tastes is reversed overnight, so that now you despise your former favorite bands and adore, say, sappy love ballads from the current army of young blonde country singers. Now, contemplating this transformation undoubtedly makes many people unhappy. But explain why. Feel free to ponder. And while you’re at it, let’s solve this banking boondoggle and save the polar bears. There’s no right or easy answer to the question of individuality. It’s a collective, a mismatch of goals and guilty pleasures that fit together, jigsaws falling into place, to reveal the puzzle of human character. In part, my individuality is the position I fall asleep in at night, the way I misinterpret song lyrics, the reason I cried as a kid when Littlefoot’s dino mama died and cried at 16 when my cousin died, the friends I choose, the things about my friends that frustrate me and the things about me that frustrate me. Chew on that.
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News: About 35 students still not TB tested
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Index Truman State University
Thursday, November 5, 2009
101 years of excellence
Juicy?
The University’s student-produced newspaper
Kirksville MO, 63501
Is College ACB getting too
Sour messages on public forum provoke negative student reaction BY ELIZABETH KOCH
Staff Writer
Students no longer have to wonder what people are saying behind their backs, thanks to anonymous online message boards like College Anonymous Confession Board. Matt Ivester, Founder and CEO of the Juicy Campus Web site, announced that Juicy Campus would shut down Feb. 5,
2009, due to low ad sales and revenue, according to the Juicy Campus press release. Ivester made a deal with College ACB founder Peter Frank to redirect visitors to College ACB from the former Juicy Campus site. College ACB is different from Juicy Campus because it was not intended for students’ superficial posts but for productive, anonymous discussion about college issues, according to a press release for College ACB. Yet many negative comments proliferate the site. Mark Smith, an associate professor of communication who teaches media law at Truman, said the Web site op-
erator is not required to take down any names posted. Privacy issues and libel are treated differently online, he said. Under section 230 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Web site owners are not considered responsible for libel. It is legal for schools to ban College ACB, because they are in charge of the schools’ Internet system, Smith said. Posts on Web sites like College ACB can be traced back to the post’s author if the Web site operator releases the ISP address for the user. But the operator is not forced to release the ISP address, he said.
The ABC’s of College ACB College ACB began as a forum for students to post productive discussion about college issues and have the opportunity to ask for advice anonymously, according to the ACB Campus press release. But, for some schools, College ACB has taken the place of Juicy Campus, which closed earlier this year, by lists of threads filled with hateful gossip, according to the Cavalier Daily.
Some universities are taking action, like the University of Virginia. The university condemned Juicy Campus and will only block College ACB if “it becomes a serious public safety issue,” Dean of Students Allen Groves said. Meanwhile, students at the university are encouraged not to use the site.
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“I would doubt that the operator of the Web site is willing to give [them] that information,” Smith said. If schools received a certain student’s ISP address proving they posted a defamatory comment, a case could possibly be made to punish the student, Smith said. Smith said each case differs based on the school’s perception of what they consider disrespectful or an invasion of privacy. “Anyone who uses anonymous posts should question their own ethics as to what they post about [people] because it’s very easy to hide behind Please see ACB, Page 7
I don’t feel like it’s appropriate to go and post things about people under anonymity. If you have a problem with a person, why don’t you take it up in person?
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-- Ryan Mueller, junior
Slate of student representative candidates passed BY COLETTE LINTON
Staff Reporter
Jared Young and Mayank Dhungana/Index
ABOVE: University workers clean clogged drains Thursday afternoon after more than 2.5 inches of rainfall flooded areas around campus. BELOW: Students are forced to backtrack after encountering a large pond of water stretching between Pershing Arena and Barnett Hall.
Last week’s rain brings new flood of problems BY JARED YOUNG
Staff Reporter
Volume 101, Issue 10
Swimming to class was not out of the realm of possibilities last Thursday, as Red Barn Park �illed with runoff water from torrential rainfall. More than 2.5 inches of rain fell Thursday, according to the National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill, Mo. Part of the football �ield near the Kennels �looded, along with the Quad, as a result of the rain. Several buildings on campus started taking on water, and Persh-
ing Arena was close to disaster again. Tim Baker, Physical Plant assistant director and safety manager, was �irst to respond to Magruder Hall, where drainpipes on the roof were overwhelmed, causing water to �low over the protective �lashing and into the building. He said there is now a plan to �ix the runoff drainage system at Magruder. “We are going to permanently modify the drains up there,” Baker said. “We are going to redirect the over�low to another area of the roof, where the roof Please see FLOOD, Page 7
www.trumanindex.com
After rejecting the �irst two slates of candidates for the next student representative for the Board of Governors, Student Senate approved a slate of three candidates Sunday. The candidates will proceed to interviews with Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, who will select one of the candidates as Truman’s next student representative starting spring semester. Junior Adam Crews, political science and history major, was on each of the three slates, including the slate approved Sunday. Freshman Alexandria Witt, political science and communication disorder major, and junior physics major Lucas Freeland were the two newcomers to Sunday’s slate. The two previous slates included freshman George Allan Jr. and senior Charles Tomlinson. But Student Senate voted down those slates decisively, �irst on Oct. 25 and then when the selection committee presented the slate to Student Senate again on Oct. 29. A committee of 10 students from a variety of campus organizations selects the slate that is sent to Student Senate. Student Please see SLATE, Page 7
Student Representative to Board of Governors candidates
Adam Crews
Alexandria Witt
Lucas Freeland
Copyright 2009